Another Dubai investor delegation arrives in the country
A three-member delegation from one of the largest marine terminal operators in the world, DP World owned by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates has arrived in the country on a fact finding mission and to appreciate the potential business opportunities in Zimbabwe.
Their visit comes after government in February partnered DP World officials in Dubai as it continues strengthening cooperation in infrastructure development which includes the refurbishment of roads, railways, tolling, airports and inland marine business opportunities.
DP World is a company owned by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, via a holding company. This holding company is under the direct control of the Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE.
It is the largest marine terminal operators in the world, with over 50 terminals and 12 new developments across 32 countries.
The three-member delegation who are in the country are DP World chief executive officer and managing director for Middle East and Africa Mr Suhail Albanna, CEO for Middle East and Africa region Mr Sumeet Bhardwaj and another DP World CEO Mr Christian Roeder.
During the morning the delegation in the company of Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Mhona and National Railway of Zimbabwe board chairperson Advocate Martin Dinha met President Mnangagwa at State House.
In an interview, Mr Albanna said they wanted to create a new trade corridor for Zimbabwe to import and export its goods through Maputo in Mozambique.
“Currently the country has two gateways, that is Beira in Mozambique and Durban (South Africa). So we want to create more competitive trade routes for the country so that the cost and the efficiency of the supply chain will be more effective for traders, importers and exporters.
“And also to give a chance for the farming products and so on from Mozambique to be exported in a very competitive way. So our meeting with the President was to express our interest to invest in logistics in rail, in economic zones where we can create a new service and product for the country for the global market,” he said.
In February, a Zimbabwean delegation lead by Minister Felix Mhona held a bilateral meeting with the CEO and managing director of DP World for Middle East and Africa, Mr Suhail Albanna in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Minister Mhona was accompanied by the Zimbabwean Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Ambassador Lovemore Mazemo; National Railway of Zimbabwe board chairperson Advocate Martin Dinha and NRZ CEO Ms Respina Zinyanduko, among other Government, Embassy and NRZ officials.
Speaking during the meeting, Minister Mhona said the Government of Zimbabwe is committed to supporting and facilitating any partnership between DP World and its parastatals and State Enterprises in infrastructure business, especially railways and the National Handling Services (NHS).
He said President Mnangagwa had given them the greenlight to engage with them on a win-win and mutually beneficial basis, to make good and strengthen the bilateral ties which exist between the two sister countries.
Minister Mhona said one of the key pillars and enablers of economic transformation in Zimbabwe was the transport and transport infrastructure sector which was showing a lot of potential at a time government was working on various infrastructural projects such as roads rehabilitation and widening, particularly along the North-South corridor of Beitbridge, Harare, Chirundu and/Victoria Falls.-The Herald
